Through The Looking Glass
by GW Dark Chyld
Summary: These are the events that followed Ocarina of Time, as interpreted by me. Loose ends become tied as time is reset through the actions of a princess divided against herself... ~Complete~
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Legend of Zelda, with the exception of this storyline.

Author's note: Hiyas! Behold, I have learned HTML! This is something new for me, but I was inspired after playing Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time. So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy my first and maybe only Zelda fic, Through the Looking Glass.

Through the Looking Glass.

_ By GW Dark Chyld _

Chapter One 

The sky was dark with heavy rain clouds above the castle of Hyrule. The dark thunderheads roiled and churned, the darkness spreading over the kingdom as sheets of rain pounded the ground. Jagged bolts of bright lightning cut through the sky as thunder roared. Below, townsfolk ran about, seeking shelter in their respective huts and homes, craving sanctuary from the fury of the heavens.

Inside the castle itself, in a room within on of the tall spires, a young princess sat in a chair by an open window, her violet eyes watching as the rain descended. Her hair, the color of spun-gold, was pulled back behind her pointed ear, each ornamented with a golden Triforce earring. A thin, ornamental tiara hung across her forehead. She was clad in a violet gown decorated with various golden designs as well as gloves that reached up above her elbows, but at the moment she cared nothing for how she looked or the jewelry she wore.

She gazed at the distant Kokiri forest. Somewhere inside was the home of a boy she herself had sent back through time to prepare for a quest he had already completed. The 18-year-old princess could remember the boy clearly… she could remember all the times she herself had talked with him on his noble quest. She remembered his iron will, unbendable and unbreakable. She remembered his kind heart; open to all who sought a friend. She remembered his eyes, defiant to those who he fought against. This boy, this Link, was willing to give up his life to save the lives of others.

She sighed longingly and let her thoughts drift back. He had saved her entire kingdom from the threat of the evil warlock Ganon. He traveled back and forth through time and mastered its very flow. He had triumphed over enormous odds and returned the kingdom to peace.

Even now, work was being done all over to restore Hyrule to its former glory. The ring of lava surrounding the castle had been changed to crystal clear water by the use of heavy magic. The castle was returned to its former glory, and the town was cleansed of all the undead wandering it's streets. The various temples dotting the countryside had been cleansed of all evils by their respective sages. All over the countryside, earthly wounds were being healed. But there was one wound, an emotional wound, that was far from being sealed.

_You love him._

The princess gazed out into the torrential rain. Yes… she loved him. She loved the boy who had come to her rescue, to the rescue of her entire kingdom. He had been robbed of seven years of his life between the first time she saw him and the last time… a ten-year-old boy with the capable body of a young adult. He showed her that even a child can make a difference….

_Why do you not seek him out?_

Zelda stood. His voice kept intruding upon her thoughts. No, not Link's…the boy had hardly spoken at all. The voice of another… oh, how he plagued her. In truth, he had seen Link more often then she herself did. She envied him for that. But that was foolish. How could she be jealous of a person who did not exist?

_Princess…I will help you, if you let me._

She moved past her four-poster bed to a full-length body mirror mounted on her wall. Her violet eyes gazed into the reflective surface, while red orbs gazed back. She could almost see the outline of the blue armor, of the red symbol of the Sheikah on her chest, of the tattered white cloth that shrouded the figure's face. Bangs of gold arched out over her reflection's eyes, the eyes that were her own yet so different. Princess Zelda gazed into the mirror, and Sheik gazed back.

_Why do you fight me so?_

"What would my people think," Zelda murmured to herself, "if they knew that I saw imaginary figures in mirrors and heard voices in my head…"

_I am not an aspect of your imagination, Zelda… I am a part of you. Why do you hold me back?_

The princess closed her eyes and willed the apparition away. When she opened them again, the spectral figure was gone from her mirror. She silently sighed with relief. These images of Sheik were coming more and more frequently. The urge to become the mysterious teenager again was nearly overwhelming. Indeed, he had been closer to Link then she was, and he was her only connection to the forest boy. Why must her only connection to Link be this shadow of herself?

Zelda moved back to the window and sat gently on her wooden chair again, gazing back out into Hyrule. The rain had not lessened, and the bleakness of the day reflected her own mood. She thought about how she missed the boy she had sent back… and what she would do to get him back.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Legend of Zelda, with the exception of this storyline.

Author's note: Hiyas again! In true Dark Chyld fashion, I'm happy to answer all reviews, this time posted by Sabin Figaro! First off, thanks a lot for reviewing! Let me try to clear the confusion for you. Yes, Sheik was Zelda in disguise, and is a girl, not a guy. Throughout this story, Sheik will be known as a guy for a simple reason. Do you think you could pretend to be someone else for seven years and not start thinking you were them? Zelda just developed a little psychological problem, so don't worry. Sheik is actually a girl, but Zelda refers to that part of her personality as a guy. Eep! That sounds a bit too complicated! Hope I didn't confuse you further! x.x! 

Through the Looking Glass.

_ By GW Dark Chyld _

Chapter Two 

The rain had ceased and the sun shone brightly over the land of Hyrule. The dense storm clouds drifted east towards Death Mountain. A rainbow arched over the land and a fresh breeze danced through the village before Hyrule castle. The townspeople were once again outside, resuming their business with high spirits. Children danced in the puddles, dogs ran about in sport, and adults went about trading, playing their own games, or otherwise minding their own business.

Zelda had journeyed down from the castle to escape her troubles. She was met with smiling faces and respectful bows. She spoke to many about trivial things, such as the weather, the reconstruction, and whether the guards were doing their jobs or not.

She smiled and returned their pleasant banters, but her spirit was not in it. Her heart pulled her towards the last place she wanted to go. The Temple of Time.

The foreboding building stood above her, alcoves bathed in darkness, the courtyard dense with shrubbery. The Temple itself was crumbling, its once-majestic arches were half destroyed, the turrets were in disarray, and the glass windows were blown out. The Temple had been branded 'evil' during the reign of the evil wizard Ganon. Gone was its glory, its appeal, its dignity. Evil had touched the Temple, and it would never recover.

The princess was unafraid as she approached. She stepped lightly around hedges and across steps, heading through the rotted doors into the temple itself.

The inside of the temple reflected the outside. A great pillar had fallen across the width of the temple, its top resting in a hollowed-out window. The once-elegant tapestries that had adorned the walls were in tatters, shredded beyond repair. The floor was covered in rubble and water, with a dusty mist hovering about, giving the Temple an ethereal look. Still, Zelda proceeded.

She strode beneath the large pillar to the other side, unseen from the entrance. She slowed her pace and approached a wrecked stone chest, buried in rubble. Somewhere beneath that pile of rocks were three jewels, representing fire, water, and forest. A young, ten-year-old Link had placed the jewels there himself. She raised her beautiful violet eyes to the wall standing behind the buried chest. Behind that wall lay the only room in the Temple that would have survived Ganon's wrath. The room housing the Master Sword, the weapon that belonged to the Hero of Time, who had been Link.

Zelda felt faint and sat upon a worn grey step. Once again, she yearned to see that face once more, speak with the boy once more. He had saved Hyrule, and she, as well as the other Sages, was the only ones that knew. By now, everyone would have forgotten the green-clad stranger. Link… an unsung hero.

_He shall never be forgotten as long as you remember him._

The princess stood upright, looking around for the source of the voice. It took a moment to register that the voice she had heard was only a part of her imagination.

_Please, princess. I wish only to help you_

"Why must you haunt me so…" murmured the breathless Zelda.

_You have buried me beneath guilt and pain, princess. I wish to help ease those feelings. But I cannot help you if you do not permit me._

The princess said nothing, afraid of her delusions. The secret voice inside of her head must remain a secret. For the sake of her kingdom, she mustn't let this voice get the best of her. She could afford to loose her mind when the land was safely beneath a new ruler. But not now.

"Please…do not torture me like this… leave me in peace…"

She could almost see a figure through the mist. A ghostly apparition stood, as in her mirror, clad in armor of blue and tattered cloths. Crimson eyes watched her from beneath bangs of gold.

_Why are you afraid of me?_

Zelda felt a tremor go down her spine as she watched the strange manifestation both with caution and curiosity, love and hate. The source of these feelings was that the figure was both herself and someone else. "I am afraid of no one…."

The familiar stranger moved slowly toward her.

_ou fear me. Why? Why do you fear yourself?_

"I am not you… I never was. You were just a way to escape Ganon unharmed."

_I am more then that, princess. It has been eight years since you donned my identity. Why do you forsake me now?_

Zelda's lip quivered, yet she struggled to keep back tears. She had been strong all her life, why was she falling apart now, to a ghost no less?

_Is it envy? Is it because Link became closer to me than to you?_

The princess had had enough. She spun around and closed her eyes, bringing clenched fists up to her chest. Inside she trembled with agony, but she revealed none of it. She concentrated on the figure, willing the unwelcome presence away. She blocked out the voice and ignored the ghostly manifestation. When she turned and opened her eye, the figure was gone once more.


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Legend of Zelda, with the exception of this storyline.

Author's note: I'm glad to see I'm still bringing in reviewers! Thank you very much, Phantom Mist, . , Embyr-75, and Ves! Embyr, thanks so much for thinking of my story that way ^-^. For Zelda's eyes, I found different pictures with different color eyes, so I just picked one. And your fic doesn't suck! I'm reading it as I write this, and it's great! Anyways, how bout I just stop talking and let you all read ^-^;. Talk to you guys in the next chapter!

Through the Looking Glass.

_ By GW Dark Chyld _

Chapter Three 

The sky was dark, the sun having set nearly an hour ago. Zelda sat with her father inside the grand dining hall. Her father, once a robust and burly king, had wasted away in Ganon's dungeons during the rule of the evil wizard. For seven years he had been kept alive solely for Ganon's amusement. During the past year, as the land recovered, he did too. He was still half the man he used to be, a thin frame, gaunt and pale, but his mind had recovered and there was a gleam in his eye that was never there before. The King was on his way towards a full recovery.

This night, he could see that his daughter was preoccupied by something. She had been silent all through their meal, saying hardly a word, and the King was beginning to get worried. She had been that way for quite some time, quiet and reserved, despondent to the world. She was everything but herself.

"Zelda," the King began, "is something bothering you? You've been very distant lately."

The princess looked up from her untouched meal, startled out of her thoughts. She looked at the King and flashed a sad smile. "I am fine, father. Do not worry yourself over me."

The King set down the goblet holding his drink and looked his daughter up and down. "My dear… it seems as though your mind is distracted. You look very troubled, very unlike your usual self."

Zelda frowned. She had been changing…slowly, but she had. She silently cursed herself and smiled to her father. "Do not worry, father. I am perfectly all right. I do have many things on my mind, but they will fade." She picked up her fork and began to eat.

_Zelda…_

Her fork clattered to the floor, food spilling onto the stones as she leapt to her feet. Her father also rose, startled by his daughter's sudden outbreak and the pale sheen of her fair skin.

"Daughter? What is the matter?"

Silently, Zelda fled the dining hall. Her footsteps echoed down the corridor as she dashed to her room. Her heart pounded in her chest. Why was he doing this? Why did he want so much to come back?

_Princess…I want only to help you! Why will you not listen to me?_

"No!" The princess screamed. "Leave me alone!"

_I have the power to bring you to Link, princess. It is your heart's desire, is it not?_

Zelda pushed her door open and ran across her room, falling onto her plush bed. "Leave me alone!"

The door slammed shut as the windows blew open, a fresh breeze sweeping through the room. Zelda cried, her tears streaming down her face. The world seemed loud around her, the slightest noise deafening to her ears. She clasped her hands to them and tried to block out the noise, but she could not stop it.

And then… all at once… everything, everywhere… stopped.

The onslaught of sounds that assaulted her ears ceased. The noise of the wind, of the clattering shutters, they all stopped. There was not a sound in the room. She looked up from her bed, and found that realty had fallen away.

Her room was dark, shadows stretching out in all directions. All that was left of her furniture was the lone bed. Darkness enveloped her on all sides as a fine mist drifted upon the floor. The princess looked from side to side, but could not see any trace of where she was. There were no walls, no ceiling, and even the floor remained hidden. She gently wiped a tear away and tenderly placed a foot into the mist.

Zelda stood carefully, trying to make sense of what had just happened. She took a few steps forward. What had just happened? Wasn't she in her room a moment ago?

The beautiful music of a harp drifted through the dark realm. Zelda froze on the spot. The tune… so familiar…. She dreaded turning around, but she had too. She did not have a choice. The princess turned slowly.

Her worst fears were met. Upon her bed sat her dreaded specter, the figure that haunted her both in waking and in sleeping. Sheik sat cross-legged on her covers, cradling a harp in one hand as the other played. His crimson eyes were closed, one closed lid hidden behind bangs of gold. The apparition seemed more solid, more real this time. Zelda could feel him sitting there, rather than just seeing him. His blue armor gleamed dimly in the darkness, his form glowing softly. The song he played was the most familiar song Zelda could think of… her own lullaby. He played the same song her mother use to play to her as a child.

Doing the only thing she could think of, Zelda clenched her fists and tried to will the apparition away. The beautiful music drifted to a halt, but the figure still sat upon her bed. Crimson eyes watched her as she desperately tried to sort things out as well as try to send him away. The princess knew that she was mentally exhausted from holding him off, and now, her defenses had finally broken down. She was at Sheik's mercy.

The armored-boy watched her before speaking in an actual voice… her own voice, yet distinctly different. "As I told you before, I will not act against you. I wish only to help you."

Zelda felt utterly alone in this dark world as she stared down her largest adversary. "You may help me by leaving me in peace…"

Sheik stood and walked slowly over to the trembling princess. "I could… but that would not get you Link back. I am you, and you are me. I feel what you feel, I know what you think. I remain someone else to you because you refuse to acknowledge me. You would see the truth of my words if you would only let me back into your life. Please…"

Zelda took a step back, watching the figure as he approached. It was wrong to say she wasn't scared. She was. Her fear grew as she realized the truth of Sheik's words. Yes, she wanted Link back, and was willing to do anything it took. Even… even let Sheik back into her life.

The tortured princess fell to the floor of this dark world, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wept without a sound, admitting defeat to the presence that stood over her.

Sheik kneeled, lowering his scarf as he did so. He gently placed an arm around the broken Zelda, and the princess leaned into him. All through his essence he could feel her sadness as he gently comforted her. After a moment, he gently took her shoulder as the princess looked up at him.

"Cry not, my princess. You will be whole, and soon, you shall have the one you've been dreaming of."

Zelda nodded her head slowly as Sheik lowered his head. He gently kissed the princess as his body sunk into hers. The princess shivered at the sensation, feeling as though a hole long emptied was now being filled.

The door shook as guards threw their weight against it. The shouting voice of the king could be heard. The kneeling form of Zelda sat in the center of the room, head resting against her chest. Her father's voice reached her, though Zelda did not hear it. The princess stood slowly and looked towards the door. Her eyes shimmered…eyes of crimson fire. She raised her gloved hand and spoke in a mystic tongue as a small orb formed inside her palm. The princess, now no longer the princess, swung her arm down and threw the orb into the ground. A thick mist sprang up around her body, hiding her, changing her.

Wood gave way as two guards stumbled in, followed immediately by the king. His eyes were locked on the figure crouched in the window the moment he had entered. The figure clad in blue armor and white cloth. Orbs of red looked back from beneath bangs of gold before the figure dropped out of sight and out the window. His daughter was gone.


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Legend of Zelda, with the exception of this storyline.

Author's note: Thank you all for sticking with me! Thank you to Demonic Duo, '.', and Embyr! I'm glad to see I have some fans ^-^. By the way, everyone, check out Embyrs fic! It's really awesome! Now, onto the fic!

Through the Looking Glass.

_ By GW Dark Chyld _

Chapter Four 

The stillness of night was hardly broken by the figure that ran, half-crouching, in the moonlight away from Hyrule Castle. Over the hills and through verdant fields, the Sheikah's only purpose was to reach the Forbidden Forest to the southeast. Somewhere inside rested the intimidating Forest Temple, and with it, the sage who held the key to Zelda's reunion with Link.

The crimson-eyed knight could feel Zelda's uneasiness, her doubt in the back of his mind. He spoke not a word, silently reassuring the princess as he moved. They're reunion was in capable hands. He would not fail the princess, not while he still breathed.

But in the core of his being, he knew what it would come down to. He also knew the choice he would have to make.

Sheik slowed his break-neck pace as he approached the entrance to the Forbidden Woods. The shrouded figure paused by a gnarled tree, it's leafless limbs stretching towards the heavens. He withdrew a harp from the cloth that draped over his body, strumming the chords with his index and fore fingers. Sheik strummed the chords, playing a brief melody as a warm-up. In spectral form, he could play his harp very well, but he was in a physical body now. When the warm-up was over, he played one of the first songs he had ever taught link: the Minuet of Forest.

In moments, Sheik was wrapped in the mystical energies of the forest. He was whisked into the air and far into the shadowed recesses of the woods. Within moments, the energies that picked him into the air set him down on a pad bearing the Triforce symbol, just outside the doors of the mighty temple.

The shrouded figure moved forward, towards the doors themselves. He had to meet with the Forest Sage before he could venture to join Zelda with Link. The said forest Sage was the only one capable of bringing his plan to fruition.

"Sheik? Or should I say Zelda?"

The Sheikah turned to see the very person he had came for. The Kokiri child was, like all the others, young with a curious face framed by hair of green. She was clad in a simple green dress accustomed to the female children of Kokiri Forest. Her eyes sparkled with an innate wisdom which set her apart from all the other children. Her name Saria, Link's childhood friend and Sage of the Forest.

Crimson eyes flashed. "Zelda is incapacitated at the moment."

Saria gently stepped off the warp pad she had appeared on and walked over to Sheik. The boy towered over the small Kokiri child. Undaunted, Saria looked up at the hidden face and smiled softly. "Of course…Sheik. What brings you to the forest?"

"I've come for the…item… that Zelda entrusted to you after the containment of Ganon."

The little girl blinked. "Did you come only for that? I was hoping we would be able to pause and speak with each other for a while. Away from the other Sages and the serious things happening in Hyrule…"

Sheik shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I have no time to loose. I do this for a dear friend.

"This must be some friend…."

"…You have no idea."

Saria sighed. "I thought you did this because it was for the best?"

"_Zelda_ was mistaken."

Saria looked down. "Very well…" She turned and walked back towards the warp pad, humming quietly to herself. A small green light drifted out of the woods and hovered before her, almost like a fairy, before materializing into a small crystal, lit by an inner green light. Saria took the delicate item and turned back to Sheik, cradling it like the precious jewel that it was. The girl looked up at her friend.

"Zelda… I don't know what happened…but keep hold of who you are. If you loose that hold…well…."

Sheik's eyes flashed. "Zelda will be fine when this is over. Thank you, Saria."

The little girl looked up imploringly at her. "Are you sure you can't stay and talk a while…?"

"I'm sorry….I must go."

The little girl nodded and hold out the small crystal. Sheik took it gingerly, placing it within the clothe that covered his chest and back, at the same time retrieving his harp. He nodded a goodbye and turned away, heading back to the warp pad, his fingers thrumming the chords of his harp.

Saria waved after him. "Be careful, and give Link my best regards!"

With a mournful, drifting melody… Sheik was gone.

His journey was quicker than when he had ran. With his melody, Sheik was able to return to Hyrule Castle and, more specifically, the Temple of Time. He had spent most of the night traveling across the Hylian field to reach the forest, so by now the sun had just begun to rise. He entered the ruins slowly as light streamed in through the window arches. Dust hung in the air, shrouding the contents of the temple in shadowy mists. Crimson eyes were not bothered by the dust, instead focusing forward at the area where he knew would be the altar.

Sheik stood before the rubble that rested atop the three sacred stones and produced an ocarina from his clothe, setting his harp aside. He lowered the covering over his mouth and gently brought the ocarina to his lips. The Sheikah then played a song not heard in the land of Hyrule for more than year. A tune that echoed in the temple, that parted mists as it's magic swept through the rubble to enter the hearts of the stones. 

The Song of Time danced through the chamber as all the motes of dust lit up in an eerie light. The glowing orbs began to twist around the lone figure, a tornado of light. All the while, the tune did not falter. The tornado spun faster and faster, the figure inside blanketed with light. The symbol of the Triforce upon the wall before him gleamed, the only interruption of whirlwind of brightness. Finally, the tune ground to a halt, the tornado roared, and the Triforce flashed. As suddenly as the storm began, it stopped.

Dust blanketed the temple and the Triforce symbol resumed it's dull shine. The temple was returned to the way it had been…but the figure was gone.


	5. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Legend of Zelda, with the exception of this storyline.

Author's note: Alas, the end has come! This is the final chapter ;-;. Thank you so much,StarKiss, '.',and Embyr-75! I'm glad to see I have a few fans who kept reading ^-^. '.', I appreciate you pointing out all my mistakes. I've worked this story over a bunch of times, but after a while I can't see the words quite clearly x.x. StarKiss, thanks so much for pointing that out! I hate to repeat words, and pointing those out really helps. Also, I'm deeply honored by your compliment ^-^. And Embyr, thank you so much for reading! You're quite the writer yourself, and I look forward to reading more from you!

Before I start, I'll summarize a bit and explain. I know that this fic must be really confusing x.x. I think some cause for concern was the Zelda/Sheik connection.Since this is a year after Ocarina of Time, Zelda buried Sheik in the back of her mind. Her feelings for Link awakened that part of her mind and gave it life, having him appear to her in visions, etc. She finally relented, giving her body over to Sheik, who is basically a split-personality of Zelda's. When he took control, Zelda retreated so as not to interfere, merely watching as an observer in her own mind. Now, Sheik, with his control restored, went to the Forest Temple in the Forbidden Forest to speak with Saria and get that jewel from her. The jewel is actually Link's memories of the future, which Zelda had taken from his mind before he was sent back into the past. With Link's memories, Sheik then headed into the past. 

Hope I didn't give away too much! I better just be quiet and let you guys finish the fic now ^.~. And now, the final chapter of "Through the Looking Glass"!

Through the Looking Glass.

_ By GW Dark Chyld _

Chapter Five 

Sheik opened his eyes slowly; well aware that Zelda's curiosity had kept her at bay the entire time since his impromptu meeting with Saria. Crimson eyes gazed around at new, or rather old, surroundings. He was still inside the Temple of Time, but the inside of the temple had changed dramatically. The temple was no more mere ruins, no more a shadow of its former glory. Instead, the temple was in its prime as it had been eight years ago. Tapestries hung in dazzling magnificence, stained glass windows poured forth light in an array of colors, and clean-cut stones were smooth to the touch.

The shrouded figure had made it back to the past, back to the time where he could do the most good. In fact, he had arrived minutes before the event he had to intercept was to occur. He strode swiftly towards the entrance of the temple before breaking emerging into the clean, open air of a Hyrule before it was corrupted. Crouching, he broke into a swift run away from the temple. H cared not for the beautiful scenery or the lush vegetation He had to reach Link before the child would sneak into the castle, before he would ever meet with the princess and set out on his quest.

He raced out into Hyrule Market, his movements unseen by the unsuspecting villagers. The people were dancing and shouting, standing and bartering. None of these attractions caught his eye as the Sheikah knight ran on his way. Sheik dashed up the path towards the castle, his grim eyes set on the landscape ahead of him. If he did what he came to do, it would mean the end of his existence.

He tried to push the thought from his mind, but it came back. By returning the memories of the future to Link, he would have all the knowledge of things to come, enough of which to convince the king to awaken the ancient Sages and cast Ganondorf into the dark realm. If those desired results occurred, then there would be no reason for Zelda to go into hiding, donning the mask of Sheik for seven long years. And if she did not do that…. Sheik focused on the task at hand.

The traveler from the future rounded the bend in the past without hesitation. A guard stood by the gate, his back turned to the rushing traveler. Wasting not a moment, Sheik leapt into the air, landing on the guard's shoulders before leaping up and vaulting over the top of the gate. He landed in a crouch, ignoring the bewildered guard and sprinted up a hill and into the vast yard before Hyrule Castle.

Wary watchmen saw not the rushing form of the Sheikah, feeling only the slightest breeze of the being's passage. He remembered what would happen in minutes, or rather, Zelda remembered. Link had braved the castle guards and infiltrated the castle, creeping through the courtyard before meeting the princess herself. It was there that Zelda would lay the beginnings of a mighty quest upon Link's young shoulders.

The green crystal within Sheik's clothes pulsated with light, leading the Sheikah to its master. He followed the small stream as it wrapped around the castle and saw, up ahead, a young Link climbing atop a stone. The child was preparing to leap into an alcove and sneak into the castle via a drain. The rushed Sheikah could spare no time for useless theatrics, no time for flashy entrances.

"Link, Kokiri child of the Great Deku Tree!"

The child spun around, crouching as his clear blue eyes watched the strange figure approach. He dared not draw his sword; the noble Hylians were not his enemy. But in truth, he was not sure if the figure that approached him was Hylian... or if it was something else.

Sheik slowed his run to a walk as he approached the child who still remained on the stone. "Fear not, Link. I am a close friend whom you have yet to meet. I have brought you something that you have lost."

The forest boy hopped off the rock, watching the stranger carefully. He spoke slowly, his voice soft yet stern, backed by courage and strength. "You are not a guard…"

Oh, that voice… within the far reaches of his mind, the voice reached Zelda and stirred her. Sheik kept her consciousness submerges as he spoke. "No… I am a Sheikah, friend to the royal family of Hyrule… I came to deliver a precious item to you… an item that you have lost."

"I have lost nothing…"

"You have lost it, yet know naught of what you have lost."

"Why are you talking in riddles?"

"You have lost it, yet know naught of what you have lost."

"Why are you talking in riddles?"

Silently, the mysterious Sheikah withdrew the glimmering green crystal from his clothes. The small jewel hummed with life, it's inner light dazzlingly bright this close to its owner.

Link, feeling the familiarity of the jewel, slowly came closer. The forest boy stood before Sheik, tilting his head as he gazed at the crystal, his curiosity arisen. "…What is this glowing stone…?"

Behind the ragged edge of his clothe garment, Sheik smiled. "It is a crystal, Link. And it is yours."

"How do I know this isn't a trick…?"

"Look into your heart, my friend. If you feel you can trust me, take the crystal and remember. If you do not trust me, than I have failed in my mission."

Link pondered a moment and gently touched the crystal. The green glow flashed and swept up his arm, dancing around the startled boy's body. He stumbled backwards as the glow swept into his chest before dispersing over his body. He stood there, dazed, as forgotten memories swept into his mind. In a few moments, the boy looked back at Sheik and blinked several times.

"Sheik… Zelda…? What…"

The figure knelt before the child. "Do not ask questions, Link. I am correcting a mistake. Inside the castle you will find a worried little girl in need of the information you contain. Tell her all you know, to prevent the future you saw from ever occurring."

"Prevent…but…but why?"

Sheik stood, his eyes smiling sadly at Link. He could already feel the effects of his interference. "Go to her, Link. Stay by her side. She needs you. And you need her. Live the life that was stolen from you, Link." With that, the last of the Sheikah turned away. "Saria sends her regards."

The forest child watched helplessly as one of his closest friends walked off. He did not know why Sheik had come to the past, why Zelda wished him to stay with her. Link couldn't bare to look away.

And so Link, the Hero of Time, watched as his beloved and sacred friend Sheik faded into the mists of a time… a time that would never be. 

_ ~Farewell, Link. Give Zelda the strength she needs. Live the life that you two deserve….~_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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